Unravelling the spin-state of solvated [Fe(bpp)2]2+ spin-crossover complexes: structure–function relationship
This paper reports firstly the syntheses, crystal structures, and thermal and magnetic properties of spin crossover salts of formulae [Fe(bpp)2]3[Cr(CN)6]2·13H2O (1) and [Fe(bpp)2][N(CN)2]2·H2O (2) (bpp = 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine) exhibiting hydrogen-bonded networks of low-spin [Fe(bpp)2]2+ complexes and [Cr(CN)6]3− or [N(CN)2]− anions, with solvent molecules located in the voids. Desolvation of 1 is accompanied by a complete low-spin (LS) to a high-spin (HS) transformation that becomes reversible after rehydration by exposing the sample to the humidity of air. The influence of the lattice water on the magnetic properties of spin-crossover [Fe(bpp)2]X2 complex salts has been documented…
Encapsulation of single-molecule magnets in carbon nanotubes
Next-generation electronic, photonic or spintronic devices will be based on nanoscale functional units, such as quantum dots, isolated spin centres or single-molecule magnets. The key challenge is the coupling of the nanoscale units to the macroscopic world, which is essential for read and write purposes. Carbon nanotubes with one macroscopic and two nanoscopic dimensions provide an excellent means to achieve this coupling. Although the dimensions of nanotube internal cavities are suitable for hosting a wide range of different molecules, to our knowledge, no examples of molecular magnets inserted in nanotubes have been reported to date. Here we report the successful encapsulation of single-…